Health care reform and campaign contributions: 3 letters

The Denver Post pinpointed on its front page the most important element of the ongoing health care reform debate. No matter where one comes down on this issue, no matter one’s political affiliation, the fact is our elected lawmakers are taking substantial contributions from the health care industry.

The real question here, and it is a rhetorical one, is just whose interests do you think our elected legislators are going to tilt towards? Given the fact that our elected lawmakers refuse to responsibly and effectively enact and apply campaign finance reform legislation across the Congress and Senate to curtail the influence-peddling that ultimately determines the wording and effect of legislation, whatever comes out of the health care debate will be crafted by the health care industry.

It really goes back to that old saying, “He who pays the fiddler calls the tune.”

Gary Richardson, Loveland

This letter was published in the Aug. 27 edition. For information on how to send a letter to the editor, click here.

The health care “issue” has only been an issue since the election of a president who wants to help ordinary Americans, not just the “haves and the have mores,” as President George W. Bush famously declared to wide applause from his supporters. Your front-page headline announces that Democrats Sen. Mark Udall, Rep. Diana DeGette, Rep. Ed Perlmutter and Rep. John Salazar have received large contributions from the health care industry. Only in the page 8 fine print is it revealed that the sums these politicians have received since the health care debate began are, in fact, minimal.

Few people read beyond the front page before turning to sports and the comics. The front page sets forth in bold print the totals since coming into office and more than suggests that these representatives are wholly owned by the health care industry, thereby disheartening Democratic voters.

This is a perfect example of how The Post slants news coverage to the right.
Steven Hannon, Lakewood

This letter was published in the Aug. 27 edition. For information on how to send a letter to the editor, click here.

The article which showed our Colorado elected representatives and, under their pictures, dollar amounts lends itself to a question to our school sociology teachers: How would I convince my grandsons that huge sums of money to elected officials does not make them bought bodies (i.e., prostitutes) or subcontractors to U.S. corporations? If it takes money to buy their concern and my welfare, I and most citizens don’t have enough money to influence them.

Frederick Trzos, Pine

This letter was published in the Aug. 27 edition. For information on how to send a letter to the editor, click here.

Mr. Hannon
We need to do a little better reseaach to determine whether the DP is liberal or conservative.

Have you read ‘ThePostEditorials’ (upper left hand side of Opinion page)?
I don’t recall that the post staff has ever supported a conservative/moral viewpoint.

That clearly tells us the direction of their obvious bias.

Jim

I’ve been closely following politics for at least 20 years and this issue is HUGE! For me, campaign finance reform is the # 1 issue; not health care, not the wars, not even the economy. It is also the reason I am fiercely independent.

Here are the facts:
– the costs to run for public office are enormous.
– political donations and lobbying are protected by the 1st amendment.
– probably something like 90% of American voters do not donate to political campaigns directly (they may indirectly if they belong to a union or PAC) or donate very little or very infrequently.

The results:
* politicians spend a great deal of time interacting with a small group of people trying to raise campaign contributions and very little time interacting with their constituents. That small group of people are rich fatcats, corporate hacks and special interest groups. Come election time, politicians bull*** the voters to get elected to office. After the election, those big campaign donors come knocking at the door looking for a ‘return on their investment’. As a consequence, politics usually attracts those types of people that find it easy to lie, cheat and steal among other unsavory personal qualities.

Political donations are really just legalized bribery. Those people/organizations that donate the most, get to write the laws that we all live by. This is why I’m very suspicious of the health care bill. I definitely believe we need reform. But I’m certain that any bill that is passed into law will be mostly written by health care lobbyists to protect their interests. Any costs or problems will be passed on to us, the taxpayers. Also, just take one look at that donor list and you will get your answer to question of why we bailed out Wall Street and the big banks. From their point of view, they earned that bailout with all of those donations to BOTH the Republican and Democratic parties.

The answer is:
PUBLIC CAMPAIGN FINANCING!

I know most people cannot stomach the idea of their tax dollars going to politicians running for public office, especially those that they don’t like. But I can’t think of another viable alternative. Look at it this way: if we are the ones ‘bribing’ the politicians, the politicians will be more inclined to listen and pass legislation that favors us. Another consequence: more honest, competent people will likely seek public office since they won’t have to go whoring for campaign contributions.

It is definitely not a perfect solutions. But it does work in places like Arizona.

Cheers!

Jim

BTW, my previous post was pasted here from another website were I left the same comment. That’s why some of the references may not make sense. It was referencing an article about campaign donors over the last ten years from the website opensecrets.org.

Guidelines: The Post welcomes letters up to 150 words on topics of general interest. Letters must include full name, home address, day and evening phone numbers, and may be edited for length, grammar and accuracy.

To reach the Denver Post editorial page by phone: 303-954-1331

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